BY STEPHANIE ESLAKE
When I ask Dr Sarah Penicka-Smith why audiences should listen to the Willoughby Symphony Orchestra, she responds without hesitation: because it’s “generous, genuine, and — to be honest — quite a lot of fun”.
The associate conductor has embraced various roles and collaborations with the Willoughby City Council’s orchestra since 2010 — a loyalty that speaks volumes. But we can also judge the orchestra’s appeal by the fact that a “record number” of young composers have just submitted their music for performance by these instrumentalists.
At the time of our chat, Sarah (pictured below) was deep in judging mode for the WSO’s 2025 Young Composer Award, which is proving to be a major drawcard for Australian composers interested in hearing their work performed by one of the country’s longest-running orchestras.
Along with cash prizes, the successful entrants – who must be aged under 35 – will have the chance to hear Sarah conduct the world premiere of their work in the Willoughby Symphony Orchestra: Lark Ascending program on May 4.
It’s not just an opportunity for the composers, but one for the orchestra and audiences who can experience something new.
“There’s no place like Australia for diversity of musical voices,” Sarah says.
“The problem is that not all these composers have an avenue to the main stage. So if we want to find out what they’re up, we have to take on the responsibility of making space for them.”
WSO has spent 21 years making space for new voices — the lifespan of its competition so far.
“My favourite moment is introducing the composer to the orchestra for the first time,” Sarah says of preparing to perform a brand-new work.
“Everyone’s a little bit nervous, but to see the musicians connect a face and a person to the dots on the page – and for us all to experience the validation that composer feels – is a really special point.”
Sitting in the concert hall and hearing a world premiere is a similarly rare and magical experience – and WSO is removing access barriers so that more audience members can be there to enjoy the moment.
The orchestra’s $35 tickets for under 35s are designed to ease the costs of attending a live performance. Tickets drop to $29 when part of a subscription for this age group. Sarah hopes it’ll inspire more concertgoers to give it a go.
“Whether they’re 8 or 28, I love the curiosity new audience members bring,” Sarah shares.
“I think curiosity keeps art alive as much as anything else. If you have a pile of questions about what’s happening, what it all means, how it all works – why wouldn’t you want to keep coming back?”
When concertgoers do come back, they become part of the fabric of WSO, an orchestra that serves – and builds – a sense of community around the City of Willoughby.
“Over 50 years, Willoughby Symphony has grown into an orchestra that’s open to everyone, in many ways,” Sarah says.
Along with many WSO musicians – and its chief conductor and artistic director Dr Nicholas Milton AM – Sarah was raised in this area and has “been with the orchestra long enough to see the next generation of young musicians start to come through”.
“Our local audiences are hugely supportive, but the opening of the Metro is expanding our reach and making it easy for people from all over Sydney to find us,” she says.
“Watching the diversity of our audience grow has been magic. Willoughby Symphony takes its role as an orchestra for the community really seriously, and is always developing new ways to make audience members who might not see themselves as orchestra-lovers feel right at home.”
Visit the Willoughby Symphony Orchestra’s website to view the full concert season for 2025, and to book $35 tickets for under 35s.
Images supplied.
Featured image of Sarah at Sydney Opera House (credit Jaimi Joy).
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